I have wanted to visit Seattle ever since the first time I watched the movie “Sleepless In Seattle”. I’d heard so many great things about the city and it just seemed like a beautiful and romantic city. If you follow me, you can see I can’t stay in one place for long. I keep it moving, and sometimes I just need to leave LA whenever I start feeling uninspired, and traveling keeps me inspired. I find that when I am in a new surrounding or exploring someplace I’ve never been, I feel creative and think of new ideas and things to keep me motivated. I decided to leave LA last minute on Memorial Day weekend and book a quick trip to Seattle by myself. I have a few friends there so was just going to wing it and explore…what I do best!
I wasn’t planning on filming a video while I was there, it was more of a vacation weekend for me, but decided to get some clips here and there in case I changed my mind. It isn’t anything like my previous travel videos, it’s more of a personal glimpse of my experience. I actually filmed it super informally on my iPhone. I decided to put a little something together, sorry it’s not that great but it’s something!
Also, my good friend Leanne lived in Seattle for a few years so she gave me an amazing Seattle guide that I thought I’d share with you guys. Below is a great guide to the city from everything food, to bars and best things to do.
WHERE I STAYED: FAIRMONT OLYMPIC HOTEL
VIEW FROM KERRY PARK
SALUMI
PIROSHKY PIROSHKY
SEATTLE TRAVEL GUIDE
Lunch & Brunch
Salumi: On many best sandwich lists in America. Casual place downtown with cured meats. Closed on weekends but must go to if you’re there during the week
*Pike place recommendations listed below under Pike Place Market
Portage Bay Café for brunch
Dinner
Manolin- Seattle’s most buzzed about new restaurant. Foodie place.
Joule (also good for brunch)- Korean trendy
Omega Ouzeri- Greek
Spinasse- Italian rustic, very famous Seattle chef
Stateside- Modern & laid-back space for French & Vietnamese fusion. Won a lot of food awards last year.
Umi- Great sushi with trendy vibes. Ask to sit in back.
Etta’s- famous Seattle chef Tom Douglas
Bravehorse Tavern- famous Seattle chef Tom Douglas
Waterview Seafood Dinner, Lunch, Brunch (Must do one night at sunset or for lunch/brunch)
Palisade (dinner)- Very expensive, but one of the most classic Seattle waterfront seafood foodie restaurants.
Canlis (dinner)- Very expensive, iconic Seattle
Not cheap, but more affordable:
• 67 at the Edgewater hotel (brunch, lunch or dinner)
• Westword
Recommended Things to do:
• Pike Place Market- When you are there you also need to walk around and see:
• First Starbucks
• Beecher’s Cheese Factory (amazing grilled cheese and mac and cheese. Line looks big, but goes quickly)
• Le Panier French Bakery (yummy pastries and coffee)
• Pike Place Fish Co to see fish being thrown
• Piroshky Piroshky
• Eat lunch at Matts in the Market if you want a sit down lunch
• Eat at City Fish Co if you want to eat inside the market
• When walking to and from Pike Place, walk on Pine Street for shops. While you’re downtown, you can walk a few blocks up to the middle of the city to see the first Nordstrom flagship store.
• Ride the Ducks Tour- I typically stay away from all things ultra-touristy like this, but in Seattle so much you need see is on the water. The ride the ducks tour is really the only way to see how amazing Seattle is from the lakes and Puget Sound. This is a must on a nice day!
• Kerry Park- The best view in all of Seattle. Just a 5 minute drive from downtown, get the best vantage point in the city. Perfect place for taking pictures. I would opt out of paying the money to go to the top of the space needle and do this instead.
• Fremont Sunday Market- 10 minute drive from downtown. This is in a very artsy party of Seattle that really gives you a good idea of what Seattle is all about. On Sunday’s, they have an amazing farmers market and huge crafts market. Eat at Paseo for lunch—insanely famous Cuban sandwiches.
• Gasworks Park- 10 min drive from downtown. Close to Fremont Sunday Market. This is the site of the former Seattle Gas Light Company gasification plant, located on the north shore of Lake Union. The park is on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s featured in the movie “10 Things I Hate About You”
If you have more time:
• Pioneer Square in downtown- One of the oldest and most historic districts in all of Seattle. You can do underground tours and see all of the underground city that existed in the 20’s with brothels and speakeasies. The architecture of the buildings themselves – many built in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
• Capitol Hill- this is a trendy area of Seattle with shops and restaurants. Very big gay community and nightlife. Good place for going out at night.
• University of Washington Campus- Drive 15 minutes to see the amazing campus. Walk through The Quad and Red Square. If you are there during cherry blossom time (late March-early April), this is the best place to see the trees in full bloom!
• Thai Tom- The most amazing hole-in-the-wall thai place is next to the University
• Ferry to Bainbridge Island- This is an amazing day trip or half-day trip to take from Seattle. The ferry leaves from the downtown waterfront. You can take a car onto the ferry or just walk onto the ferry. Very cool experience and beautiful way to see Seattle from the Puget Sound. Get off on Bainbridge Island to grab lunch or go on bike ride.
Museums
• Chihuly Museum
• EMP: Housed in a 140,000 square foot Frank O. Gehry-designed building and nestled beside the iconic Seattle Space Needle, EMP Museum features in-depth exhibitions and one-of-a-kind, hands-on experiences that bring pop culture to life. EMP takes you behind-the-scenes with the biggest musicians, filmmakers, innovators, and game-changers of our time, and invites you to unlock your own creative potential.
Cocktails
Tavern Law
Zig Zag
The Upstairs
Radiator Whiskey